


Let Her Go

by obisgirl



Category: Heroes - Fandom, Peter Petrelli/Claire Bennet - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Heroes: Volume 2, Heroes: Volume 3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-09-19
Updated: 2008-09-19
Packaged: 2017-11-11 13:15:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/478934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/obisgirl/pseuds/obisgirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sandra realizes that the most loving thing she can do to protect Claire is to let her go. Claire can’t decide what she wants but Peter wants her to stay.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Let Her Go

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings: Possible spoilers for Vol. 3, implied Paire  
> Disclaimer: Not mine - although if Peter and Claire were, every episode of Heroes would consist of heavy eye!sex and a Paire NC-17 scene.

Angela Petrelli had never met Sandra Bennet before. Still, she was able to discern how Sandra was different from Claire’s biological mother, Meredith Gordon. For one, as far as Angela could tell, Sandra didn’t have a malicious bone in her body.

Sandra didn’t hover over Claire as she waited anxiously for her blood to save Nathan, and instead, was content to watch her from afar, giving her the space that needed. She loved Claire and Angela knew despite Sandra losing Noah to the Company, it took guts to allow Claire to come back to New York to save her biological father. The Bennet’s were supposed to be in hiding, but Sandra made the decision to let Claire come because she knew it would kill her to have her daughter lose both of her fathers.

Sandra Bennet was a good woman and mother, a far cry from Meredith Gordon and Angela admired her for that.

“I never thanked you, Sandra, for bringing Claire to save Nathan,” Angela said suddenly, smiling thoughtfully at her.

Sandra turned, putting down Mr. Muggles on the carpet, as he was feeling uncomfortable being confined to a small space. “Claire’s already lost one of her fathers’. I wasn’t about to let her lose her biological father.” she said.

“I know,” Angela said quickly, studying her again. “How hard this time must be for you Sandra. I’m sorry.”

Sandra laughed to herself bitterly. “Lord, Noah can make me so crazy sometimes,” she cried, “But no matter the sins he’s committed, I still love him. I wasn’t thrilled when he told me that he had a job working at a paper factory, and then he came home with Claire one day and suddenly, I didn’t care. She was an angel, so sweet and innocent but I knew, even then, that she was special. Motherly instincts, I guess.”

“You’ve done quite well raising her,” she complimented. “I think Claire is more like you than her biological mother, and I’ve met Meredith Gordon.”

“I never did,” Sandra continued, “But I’m not one to pass judgment on a woman I haven’t met. She’s Claire’s biological mother.”

Angela smiled bitterly, crossing her arms, studying her. “And we’re her biological family,” she added.

“We’re both her family Angela.”

“Indeed we are Sandra,” she mused. “But considering what you and your son are going through right now, don’t you think it would be better if Claire stayed here with her father? Your son, as I understand, is still in high school and I would hate for him to have to miss out on that experience because he’s moving all the time.”

“Lyle hasn’t complained to me yet that he hates moving.” Sandra retorted, looking at her. “But I think it should be Claire’s decision if she wants to stay here with Nathan.”

“Boys complain less than girls,” Angela reasoned. “But I think if you told Claire that you wanted her to stay here, it would be easier on her, Sandra.”

Sandra sighed. “Probably,” she reasoned, “But that girl hasn’t had the chance to make one decision about her life since all this started, and I want it to be her choice if she chooses to stay.”

“And if she chose to stay here with us, would you let her go?” Angela questioned.

Sandra didn’t say.

“If she stayed with you and Lyle, it would be because she wants to protect the both of you from the Company, but she’d be putting you in danger and sooner or later, she would be discovered and then you’d have to run again. It would happen again and again, no matter how hard you try to hide.”

“So, we’d move around a lot,” Sandra mused. “As long as we are together…that’s all that matters.”

“Love is overrated, Sandra.” Angela retorted. “I don’t doubt that you love Claire but realistically, Noah may not come back this time, and then what? Think about what I said, dear.”

“Mom!” Peter interrupted, startling both women, as he abruptly came into the room. Sandra smiled at him. “Nathan’s awake finally.”

“That was longer than I expected,” Angela reasoned, “Are you sure that he’s completely healed?”

Peter shrugged. “He lost a lot of blood,” he whispered, glancing briefly at Sandra and then to his mother. “But he’s all right now, thanks to Claire.”

“Good,” Angela said quickly, nodding to Sandra before leaving the room to see him.

Peter stayed behind, looking at Sandra. He sighed, coming over and petting Mr. Muggles’ on the head, glancing up at her. “I hope my mom wasn’t bothering you,” he said, standing up again.

“Is she always that way?”

Peter laughed. “I don’t remember her being any other way,” he mused crossing his arms, studying her.  “What did she say to you?”

Sandra sighed, sitting down on the couch, patting her leg and calling Mr. Muggles to her. Mr. Muggles looked between Sandra and Peter before coming to her, jumping up into her lap. “She said that Claire should stay here with Nathan,” she said quietly, looking at Peter, almost challenging him to agree with his mother.

“Because Noah’s not there to protect her and your family from the Company,”

“Something like that, I guess.” she muttered, stroking Mr. Muggles’s hair. “The whole trip here in the car, Claire was as quiet as a mouse, and I know that the only time she gets like that is when something’s bothering her…the truth is Peter, I believe that she was thinking about what was going to happen once she got here.”

Peter didn’t say anything as Sandra stroked Mr. Muggles’ hair. “If she wants to stay here, I can’t say that I’ll be happy about it, but it should be her decision.” she said. “No one else can make it for her.”

“Do you want her to stay?”

Sandra looked at him thoughtfully, and smiled slightly. “Do you?” she countered.

He shrugged. “It’s like you said, this is Claire’s decision,” he said. “My opinion doesn’t matter all that much…”

“It matters to her,” she continued, “And I think if you asked her to stay, she would.”

“You still didn’t answer my question.”

Sandra sighed again. “I want her to be where she’s safe,” she said, “And if that’s here, then it’s here.”

“I can’t guarantee Sandra that the Company won’t come after her here too, but we would do everything possible to protect her,” he promised. “Including me.”

“Well of course you, Peter.” she teased. “You saved her at homecoming after all.”

Peter frowned suddenly, not realizing that she knew about that.

“You’re her hero, Peter. She trusts you to protect her, no matter what and I believe if things ever got bad, you would be there for her.” she said, still stroking Mr. Muggles.

“Thank you, Sandra.”

“I think that she even has a crush on you.” she added, smiling at him, causing Peter to blush. “Now, I know that you’re her uncle…but to be fair, neither of you knew that you were related to each other the first time that you met.”

Peter shrugged. “That’s true, but that’s not the reason why I’d want her to stay.”

“Of course it isn’t.” she said quickly as Claire came into the room. She smiled at her mom and then Peter, coming over to Sandra and hugging her.

“Nathan’s doing better.” she cried.

“That’s good sweetie,” Sandra soothed as she pulled away, and brushed her bangs, revealing tears. “Claire, what is it?”

“What’s wrong?” Peter asked.

Claire glanced at Peter. “Can we have a minute?” she asked.

“Of course,” he mused, quietly leaving the room.

Once he was gone, Claire hugged her mom again and then sat down with her on the couch. “Mom…” she started.

“You don’t have to say anything Claire, I think I know what this is about.” she said as Claire looked curiously at her. “You’re staying, aren’t you?”

Claire blushed, taken aback that her mom knew her so well but it didn’t make what she had to say any easier. “I don’t know,” she said, taking her hands. “But I won’t if you don’t want me to.”

“Claire,” she sighed, shaking her head. Sandra smiled thoughtfully at her. "This can’t be my decision. I can tell you what I would like to happen, but this needs to come from you.”

"Then I’m going back with you and Lyle,” she resolved. “You need me more, and I need you.”  
   
“What you want is to be a hero, Claire,” Sandra interrupted, “And that means taking down the Company.”

Claire frowned. “I know, but I think Dad was right. It’s too dangerous to take them down. I mean, look at what they did to Nathan.”

“All the more reason why you should stay, Claire,” Sandra continued. “Lord, this isn’t easy for me to say to you, but you need to hear it, Claire.”

“Mom, don’t!”

“You need to stay here. I want you to stay here.”

Claire shook her head, crying. Sandra sighed, wiping away her tears. “One of us has to be the strong one, Claire.” she soothed.

“I can’t just leave you and Lyle, Mom.” she cried. “If I’m not there, I can’t protect you from the Company.”

“You won’t be any safer if you come back with Lyle and me, Claire.” she reasoned. “But here, Nathan and Peter can protect you.”

“I know that Peter can protect me.” Claire mused. “I don’t doubt that, but what about you, Mom?”

Sandra sighed.

~~

Peter stood silently outside of the room, eavesdropping on Claire talking with her mom. He didn’t normally do stuff like this but he felt in this situation, he needed to know what Claire wanted. If his mom walked in on him now and saw him doing this, she would be angry with him but Peter didn’t care. He didn’t want to admit it before but he wanted Claire to stay so badly; mostly for his own selfish reasons.

He still didn’t remember too much about her and he thought if she stayed, he would have the chance to get to know her again. Peter remembered the look in her eyes when she saw him again and the way she held him. Clearly, he meant a lot to her and it made him sad that he couldn’t remember anything about her.

She was niece and he wanted her to stay.

~~

“I can’t stay, Mom,” Claire cried. “You and Lyle need me more…Nathan didn’t even want me here the first time, didn’t even want to talk to me for months and this is the first time I’ve seen him in a year! I wouldn’t be surprised if he said that he didn’t want me here now.”

Sandra smiled thoughtfully at her. “You underestimate the love a father has his child, Claire. Of course he’d want you to stay.”

“But what if it’s not what I want?”

“I know that it is. I also know that you wouldn’t stay here if you didn’t have my blessing; well, I’m giving it to you now, Claire.”

Claire continued to cry. “But if something happens to you or Lyle, God even Mr. Muggles…”

“If it’s God’s will, Claire.”

“But it shouldn’t be like that!” she retorted, standing up abruptly.

“You can do a lot of good here.”

“That wouldn’t matter to me, if something happens to you or Lyle…”

Sandra sighed again. “Claire, I don’t want to talk about this anymore. This is where you belong. Nathan and Peter need you.”

“Did Peter say that he needed me?” she questioned.

“He didn’t but I know that he wants you to stay too.” She continued, “If you won’t stay because I want you too, maybe you’ll stay for him. The two of you seem to have this connection…it’s powerful.”

Claire didn’t say anything as Sandra stood up, came over and kissed her forehead before leaving the room. She looked pointedly at Peter as she passed him in the hallway before going to Nathan’s room. Peter sighed before coming into the room, watching Claire as she sat alone. She noticed him standing there after a minute, and blushed, wiping her face.

“You and your mom had a lot to talk about?” he asked, knowing full well what it was they were discussing since he had been eavesdropping.

“Sometimes, I just wish that I wasn’t such a freak…it’d make things so much easier if I were a normal girl.” she muttered.

Peter shrugged, crossing his arms, studying her. “But you’re not, Claire.” he said.

Claire sighed. “She wants me to stay because she thinks that I would be safer here, with you and Nathan.”

“Do you think that you’ll be safer here?”

“I don’t know,” she said, glancing up at him. “It isn’t that I don’t think you can’t protect me Peter, but I don’t want to be separated from my family. I love them so much, even Lyle and Mr. Muggles.”

“No, it’s understandable.” he agreed.

She sighed. “Do you think that you could make this easier?”

“How?”

Claire shrugged. “I don’t know,” she cried, looking at him. “She said that you needed me, that you wanted me to stay…is it true?”

“It is,” Peter admitted, coming over and sitting beside her. “But mostly, it’s for my own selfish reasons. I still don’t remember a lot, you mostly and our time together and I thought if you stayed we could get to know each other again.”

“That’s not selfish, Peter,” she said thoughtfully, smiling at him. “It’s sweet actually.”

He laughed to himself. Claire sighed, leaning on him.

“If you just ask me Peter,” she whispered, “I’d stay.”

He shied away. “I can’t be your deciding factor, Claire,” he retorted, “No one can make this decision for you, including me.”

“Then I’ll run,” she cried, standing up and pacing. “I’ll change my name, my hair, my identity and I’ll just keep on running for the rest of my life, Peter. I don’t want that…what I want is to finally feel at home, where I’m safe and loved, and myself.”

Peter shrugged. “That depends on where you feel home is,” he reasoned, “It can be here with Nathan or with your mom and brother and that dog.”

“I just want you to ask me Peter,” she repeated. “It’d make this so much easier on me if you just asked me to stay.”

“I can’t Claire.”

“Yes, you can!” she cried, turning to him. “It’s not difficult, Peter.”

“I can’t.”

“Then I’ll leave and you’ll never see me again.” she cried. “Is that what you want?!”

“No, but…”

“Ask me, Peter!” she cried. “Because I can’t…”

Peter sighed. “Is that what you want Claire? For me to decide for you?! Then yes, I want you to stay…I’m asking you stay,” he cried, taking her hands suddenly, pulling her towards him and holding her close. “Stay.”

Claire wrapped her arms around him, closing her eyes. “Then I’ll stay,” she whispered to him, “Because you want me to.”

~~

“It’s good to see that you’re doing better, Nathan.” Sandra said, smiling at him as he lay in bed, his gunshot wounds completely healed due to an infusion of his daughter’s blood. His body was still a little weak but he was gaining strength.

Angela looked up suddenly as Peter and Claire came into the room; Claire let go of Peter’s hand and came to Nathan’s beside, smiling at him. He smiled at her, taking her hand.

“Thank you, Claire.” he whispered.

“It was no big deal.” she said, glancing at her mom as Peter came forward. Angela looked curiously between them and knew that something had happened but didn’t say anything.

“Claire,” Sandra said and she turned to her. “Is everything okay now?”

Claire looked at Nathan and then glanced at Peter and again at her mom, smiling softly. “Yeah,” her voice croaked, “Everything’s okay now.”

Sandra smiled, stroking her hair before quietly leaving the room, looking pointedly at Peter on her way out. _‘Take care of her for me, Peter.’_ she thought.

_‘I will,’_ he promised, nodding to her. Sandra smiled thanks before leaving, saying her silent goodbyes to Claire.

The End


End file.
